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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. degree — temperature
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bore — to drill
  6. degree — from a university
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bank — for money
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. degree — an amount
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bank — of a river
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com